"Dressed in matching t-shirts mocking the widely-derided Green Dam program, about 200 Beijing residents had arrived by mid-morning to eat a traditional Chinese breakfast, talk about censorship and plan for a day-long party."

The original plan was for a worldwide internet boycott today (July 1) to prevent the launch of the filter, but instead the "atmosphere was unexpectedly festive as guests celebrated an unlikely victory against the Chinese state."

A rare victory

"This is a very rare example for the government to suddenly push back an important decision the night before it is due to be rolled out," according to Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

"When young people who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s found that the computers, which are so vital to their life, might be affected, it very naturally caused a kind of politicization."

However, the fight is not over yet.

"It has not been canceled, just put back, so it's possible that after a certain amount of time it will be pushed back out," said Chinese lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan.